Once Upon a Lonely Heart
by Pricat
Summary: Marina is Nathaniel's adopted daughter but he has hidden from her the truth about her real mother as well as Andalasia. But she will have to make a choice when she does find out. Will she end up like Nerissa or will Fate change things?
1. Chapter 1

**Once Upon A Lonely Heart**

**_A/N I felt like writing this after watching Enchanted tonight. It's about Nerissa's daughter and choosing who she wants to be, to be evil like her mother or good like her adopted father Nathaniel and his friends but also about being part of a family. I hope people enjoy this._**

**Prologue**

_Nathaniel sighed that atumn night as he sat in his apartment in New York. He had everything he'd ever wanted but had nobody to share his life with. He'd had trouble meeting women and crazy fans of his book stalked him ._

_What he wanted was a family._

_In Andalasia he'd been alone until he'd crushed on Nerissa and became her servant but after the getting rid of Giselle to New York plan and the events that trasnspired, he no longer wanted her or to be in a relationship with that kind of woman._

_But then his thoughts were broken by a knock on the door. He got off his couch and answered it._

_Standing outside his door was a police officer._

_"Hello._

_What's going on?" he asked him nervously.._

_The officer then handed him a basket with a baby inside it._

_"The letter said to bring it to you." he told Nathaniel handing him the basket._

_Nathaniel understood but seeing the baby made him gasp in awe._

_The baby had Nerissa's eyes but there was warmth in them. He saw a magical aura around it._

_"Don't worry I won't let you be like your mother._

_I promise." he thought as the baby girl gurgled happily......_

_Robert was amazed seeing Nathaniel with the baby a few days later when he visited Giselle while Morgan was at school. He and Giselle were worried hearing that the baby was Nerissa's. They feared she would be like her mother when she grew up but Nathaniel knew there was another way._

_"I have a feeling that maybe she won't grow up to be like Nerissa after all. But I don't know." Nathaniel answered them._

_"But what if she found out someday?" Giselle asked._

_"Well I'll be prepared for when it happens." Nathaniel answered softly......_


	2. Confused About Herself

**Once Upon a Lonely Heart**

It was a rainy day in New York as a thirteen year old woke up. She had long black hair like Nerissa, blue eyes, slender and very depressed. She lived in the apartment with her father Nathaniel. Her name was Marina. She'd gotten up early at the crack of dawn because she'd hgad another strange dream. It was about a sorceroress who looked like her but was older.

She'd been having these dreams since she'd turned thirteen on Midsummer's Night. Nathaniel had heard of these dreams. He'd tried to pass them off as dreams but knew they weren't.

She crept into her father's room.

Nathaniel was still in bed, the warm blankets covering his body mumbling softly.

"_I wish I knew why Dad hides stuff from me and I've a feeling it's to do with my dreams." _she thought as she got dressed.

She wore dark purple and Gothy clothes. She was very creative, loved drama and fairy tales.

But other kids at her school made fun of her for it.

She then grabbed her back pack and headed for Central Park. It was her favourite place to be. She sat on the grass and began to write the fantasy story she'd been working on. She loved to write fantasy stories like the ones her father used to tell her when she was younger.

But somebody was watching her. It was a girl with long black hair. She looked like Nancy. She was Nancy and Edwatd's daughter. She was thirteen like Marina.

"_That girl is in the park again writing. _

_I wonder who she is._

_Maybe I should go talk to her._

_But she looks like Nerissa but looks aren't everything."_ the girl thought approaching Marina but Marina was shy and had trouble making friends with other kids her age but she'd felt something strange bubble up within her teenage body.

It was magic.

The girl hovered in the air as her eyes glowed with purple magic.

It faded when she realised people were watching her and she fell back on the grass. Marina then realised it was time for school. But instead she went to the library in town.

Nathaniel woke up worried as he heard the door knock and the door opened. He saw Robert enter.

"What're you doing here?" Nathaniel asked him.

"We...... got a call from Nancy in Andalasia. Her daughter Ani saw Marina in the park. I think she might've powers like her mother.

What should we do?

We need to help her.

What if she does end up like Nerissa?

That would be terrible!" Giselle told him.

Nathaniel understood their concern. But he understood their concern as they left.

Later Marina came home.

She looked worried.

Nathaniel wondered what was going on.

"Dad what's wrong with me?

Why do my eyes glow with purple light?

Why am I so different like you say?

I don't understand!" Marina said as she went to her room. Nathaniel sighed as he ordered take out........


	3. Fearing the Worst

**Once Upon a Lonely Heart**

**A/N Thank you so much the Enchanting Princess Kathyrn for reviewing. Here's more. **

Nathaniel sighed sadly. He knew Marina would want to know about why she was different and why she had magic inside her but he was nervous about telling her. He didn't want her getting angry and becoming like Narissa her mother. He needed help but knew where to get it.

Meanwhile Marina was in her room reading after finishing her homework. She was still upset. She knew her father was hiding something from her but didn't know what. But then she had an odd feeling as she heard somebody.

"_Marina come to me! Magic runs in your veins like mine! _

_Come to me, my daughter!" _the voice told her. Marina was confused at that but had no clue that it belonged to her mother Narissa.

"H-Hello?

Are you still there?" she asked nervously. She then heard laughter as somebody appeared in her mirror. Marina was a little scared. The woman had her eyes and seemed to have magic like her because she could sense it from the mirror along with her own magic.

"Who're you?

Why.... do you want to talk to me?

Is it about why I'm different?" Marina asked her confused.

Narissa laughed at that.

"_I know you don't remember me but I'm an important part of your family, your.... mother." _Narissa told her. Marina gasped in shock hearing that.

"If you're my Mom, then why haven't I seen you?

Why..... did you abandon me?" the girl asked her with tears forming in her eyes.

"_So that's what Nathaniel told you hmm? I didn't abandon you because I didn't want you._

_I did it because I'm stuck in limbo. I sent you away to Earth so you would grow up to become powerful. But I see that loser Nathaniel found you. I knew he would._

_He'd do anything to please me._

_He's such a loser, an unconfident dunce!" _Narissa cackled. Marina didn't understand why she was being so mean towards her father. He'd raised her since he'd found her.

"Don't talk that way about him!

You're making fun of the man who found me and raised me to be who I am. Maybe you're not as caring about me like my father.

Whatever it is, I'm not helping." Marina told her.

Suddenly Narissa's eyes glowed with dark magic as Marina's head ached and she sank to her knees in agony.

"Please.... stop!" Marina begged her.

"Take back what you said!" Narissa growled angrily but then heard the door open.

"Marina!" Nathaniel said seeing her like that and Narissa in his daughter's mirror.

"_Hello worthless it's been so long." _she said smiling evilly.

"What've you done to her?" he yelled angrily. Narissa cackled as she vanished....

This scared Nathaniel as he saw Marina's eyes open with tears in them...

He cursed loudly while drinking black coffee to ease his nerves but more so his anger. He was mad that Narissa had tried to entice Marina to help her break free and help her hurt Andalasia and this world through her powers.

"_Maybe now you should tell her..... the truth about her mother and how you came to be in New York. Because the longer you wait, Narissa will have Marina under her sway and we won't be able to get her back, no matter how hard we try_." his heart told him.

He hated to admit it but his heart was right.

He didn't want to lose her but was afraid of how she'd react if he did tell her or the fear of her joining her mother filled his heart.

"I have no choice.

I love Marina with all my heart and I would do anything to keep her safe even if it means telling her about her mother and how I came to be here." he told himself softly.

A little bit of confidence surged through him at that decision.....


	4. Tantrum

**Once Upon A Lonely Heart**

Marina woke up later in her bed. Her head ached still from what Narissa had done to her. She looked at her mirror in fear but noticed her mother wasn't there.

"_That's good._

_But what if she comes back?_

_Why..... does she know my father? It's like they used to be friends but now..... they're not." _she thought as she saw her door open.

Nathaniel came in looking worriedly.

He knew that this had to happen if he had to protect Marina from ending up like her mother.

"..... You okay Mari?" he asked softly seeing fear in her eyes.

She nodded.

"I'll be fine but who was she and why was she in my mirror?" she answered.

Nathaniel sighed before speaking.

"Marina...... there's something I need to tell you. But it's the thing I've been hiding from you all your life." he told her.

Marina understood as she prepared to listen to him.

"I was never born in New York like I told you. I..... lived in another world which nobody believed until Giselle showed up in New York.

The world I used to live in was Andalasia and it was full of things you would find in fairy tales but the woman who visited you was the worst being in Andalasia, her name was Narissa and she had been queen until her step son found Giselle after hearing her sing and saved her from a troll.

But Narissa was jealous because she wanted to remain queen so she pushed Giselle down an enchanted well which sent her to this world but things got a little out of control but it worked out in the end but I felt guilty." he explained.

"But why?

Narissa did those things, not you. You are a good person even if you made mistakes but that's because Narissa used your low self esteem to her upper hand." she said in awe.

Nathaniel nodded. "Yes but taking you in was my way of trying to make amends for what I did as Narissa's servant and now she's coming back.

You.... have to leave me Marina, it's not safe to be with me.

For your own good, leave!

Go to Robert and Giselle's apartment, okay?" he told her.

There were tears in her eyes hearing that.

"N-No I'm not leaving you! You're my only family, the only one who's ever wanted me and now you want me to leave?

Maybe you weren't my father after all." she replied leaving.

Nathaniel sank to his knees crying after Marina left. He hoped Narissa wouldn't try to go after her. He hated having to make the only good thing in his life leave him because of his past but he had no choice.

"_At least she's safe with Robert and Giselle in their apartment with Morgan."_ he thought crying as he hoped things would get better.

"You wanna play?" Morgan asked Marina as she was sitting on the couch listening to rock music on her headphones.

"No thanks." she said sadly as the seven year old went into her room. She wondered what was wrong with Marina. Normally she hung out with Morgan when she stayed over at Robert and Giselle's sometimes.

Robert sighed seeing how sad Marina was staring into space with a distant look in her eyes.

"_Poor kid. To her Nathaniel was like a father to her and now he had to make her stay away from him because of Narissa._

_I don't blame her for being like this."_ he thought as he worked. Giselle was busy working at her dress store and would be back soon but they were going out for dinner when she got back.

Tears were in Marina's eyes as she kept replaying eariler in her head.

"_Why would he do that because of Narissa?_

_Maybe nobody wants me after all. Maybe I should just leave._

_I thought he cared about me but I..... I guess I was wrong."_ she thought as tears welled in her eyes. Narissa smiled that.

"It won't be long now." she cackled watching Marina on Earth from limbo......

Later they were eating at the Bella Notte resturant but Giselle noticed Marina seemed sad, depressed somehow but didn't understand. Robert had told her a little bit about what had happened but would tell her later when Morgan had gone to bed. Marina sat quietly eating pizza.

But then she felt another head ache come on as her eyes glowed with magic as anger bubbled within her remembering what Nathaniel had done to her.

Suddenly the place began to shake like an earthquake had hit the city. People were running out of there scared but Robert was scared seeing that Marina was causing this through her magic.

"Please Marina!

I know you're angry but this isn't the way!" he said trying to calm her down but it wasn't working.

"Shut up!

You're just like him saying you want me around but you really don't.

I'm leaving and dom't try to stop me!" she yelled runing out of there.

Giselle was worried too as she, Robert and Morgan left......


	5. Trying to Fix Things

**Once Upon A Lonely Heart**

Marina wandered through the streets of the city later that night after what happened. She had a lot of anger in her at the moment because her adopive father had told her to go and her real mother was an evil sorceroress trapped in limbo. She had nowhere else to go.

Nathaniel was worried seeing what had happened eariler on the news and knew that Marina wasn't taking to the change well. He wished that he could've stopped her from meeting with Nerissa, that way she could stay with him.

But Marina then heard somebody crying. It was a girl about the same age as her but with brown hair, punky clothes that looked dirty and her eyes were full of sadness. Marina felt pity in her heart for the girl.

"....Hey..... what's wrong?

Why're you're crying?" Marina asked her softly as she sat beside her on the bench in Central Park.

"I-I have nowhere else to go..

I ran away from my foster home because I'm different.

Why're you out here so late at night?" the girl asked her looking into Marina's eyes. The girl saw that something about her was different.

"I left my adoptive father. He made me.

Are you from Andalasia?" Marina told her.

The girl's eye slits opened wide at that. "I..... don't know. It seems familiar to me but I don't know. I keep having strange dreams at night but I don't understand them.

My name's Kat." she told her.

"Wow nice name. I'm Marina." she answered but she felt magic nearby like from her mother.

She shuddered remembering what had happened in Nathaniel's apartment. Kat wondered what was wrong with her but wouldn't say. She then watched as the sun rose a few hours later and sighed seeing somebody standing there.

It was Robert. He seemed worried for Marina. After they'd returned to the apartment, Nathaniel had visited and explained why Marina had gone a little..... mental eariler.

"....Marina you okay?

Giselle and I were worried along with your father. We know that...... your mother has been trying to contact you, to get you to help her but she's pure evil and you're not. I know it's hard for you realising you have magic and that your mother was an evil sorceroress trying to hurt Giselle but we want to help you.

That is..... if you want to." he told her. Marina looked at him nervously but understood as she went with him but felt guitly as she left Kat sleeping in the park.

Nerissa cackled seeing the girl and smiled. She knew the girl wasn't normal but actually a dragon. She remembered Nancy and her step son Edward leaving it on the doorstep of an orphange in New York disguised as a human baby.

"_This is perfect! I can get Marina to help me by controlling her little friend._

_She has no idea what she truly is or how powerful she can be if she tries."_ she cackled as she was in limbo.

Marina was very quiet as she woke up in the afternoon in Robert and Giselle's apartment. Morgan was in her room playing while Robert, Giselle and Nathaniel were talking about Marina and her tie to her mother, Nerissa but also about the girl Marina had met in Central Park.

"I'm just..... worried for Marina. You see I've hidden things like Andalasia and Nerissa from her for a long time until now. After Nerissa tried to get her to help her that night in our apartment, I felt like I had to tell her the truth.

But ever since then..... everything's ruined.

It's all my fault." Nathaniel said drinking coffee.

"It's not.

How were you supposed to know Nerissa would come back or that Marina would react like that to the truth about you and Andalasia?" Giselle told him. Robert agreed with her.

"She's right but maybe you should've told her sooner before Nerissa met her. That way she mightn't be that mad after she found out. Maybe she's calmer now." Robert replied.

Nathaniel was about to answer but didn't speak up. Marina saw sadness in his eyes.

"Because she wouldn't have understood or.... hated me." he answered softly. Marina gasped hearing that. Robert then saw Nathaniel get up and leave the room. He saw Marina asleep on the couch. She'd got back there before anybody was suspicious.

"I'm sorry, so sorry I messed up everything. Things were going so great, I had my own life and was happy being a father until Nerissa showed up again and ruined everything. Maybe.... it's better if I never see you again.

That way you'll be safe and your mother can never get to you or use your powers for her evil games.

I'll always love you Marina." he whispered stroking her hair.

Robert had been standing in the door way watching silently. He felt so sorry for Nathaniel. He loved being Marina's father and Nerissa was ruining it for him.

".... Nathaniel don't leave her.

She still needs you and you still need her." he said but Nathaniel wasn't listening as he left but slammed the apartment door with tears in his eyes.....


	6. From Bad to Worse

**Once Upon A Lonely Heart**

Marina sighed sadly as she woke up the next morning in Robert and Giselle's apartment. She remembered hearing what her father, Robert and Giselle had been talking about. She saw Robert sitting at the table. He looked worried as he saw her. He was very worried about Nathaniel, Marina's adoptive father.

"Morning Marina you okay?

You look like you've seen a ghost or something." he told her. Marina had been having weird dreams last night and one had involved Nathaniel.

"I'm..... fine Uncle Robert. Just thinking about dreams I had last night.

Where's my father?

He was here last night." the teen replied softly. Robert was worried about telling her about last night because he remembered she couldn't control her powers when she was mad and would probably destroy the apartment if she found out like the other night at the resturant.

"Marina..... we need to talk." Robert said bracing himself......

Nathaniel sighed as he sat at a bar not far from Robert and Giselle's apartment. He'd been miserable and feeling bad about himself because Nerissa had re entered his life and messing things up. He was drinking apple martinis to drown his sorrows.

He remembered the night he'd found Marina as a baby on his apartment door step. It was like Fate had brought him something to make him feel better again after they'd taken care of Nerissa and loved watching her grow but now things were worse as he realised Nerissa was trying to return.

"_Maybe it's better if I did stay away from Marina._

_Who knows what Nerissa will do to her? All she cares about is herself and taking over." _he thought as tears fell from his eyes. He then fell off the stool as he was drunk. But somebody appeared in a haze of dark magic.

It was Nerissa.

"I see you've gotten more miserable since you left Andalasia. Why I let you look after Marina, I'll never know.

But I might've an idea on how to get to Marina.

She cares about you deeply." she cackled as she engulfed him in magic.

"_I know this'll work._

_There's no way she'll resist trying to save her adoptive father as well as playing into my hands." _she thought vanishing....

Robert's cell phone then rang while he was talking to Marina.

She then saw worry in her uncle's eyes

"What's wrong?" she asked him as she felt something was wrong.

"I have to go.

I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?

Just stay here, okay?

I'll be right back." he told her leaving the apartment. He had gotten a call from the owner of the bar Nathaniel was in about Nathaniel lying on the floor and moaning.

Robert was worried as he entered the bar. The air reeked of beer but was worried seeing Nathaniel lying on the floor looking passed out.

He felt Nathaniel's head.

His temperature was very warm, hotter than fire.

"_This isn't good!_

_I'd better get him to our apartment." _Robert thought as he helped Nathaniel to his feet and got him to his and Giselle's apartment.

Marina was playing with Morgan. She looked a little worried but was hiding it from the seven year old.

"Marina are you okay?" Morgan asked her.

"Y-Yeah I am Morgan." she answered. But the young girl could sense something was up.

They then heard the door open as Robert entered carrying Nathaniel and laid him on the couch. Giselle was worried as she came home from her shop.

"Will he be okay?" she asked Robert.

"I-I'm not sure Giselle. He looks pretty bad.

He was lying on the floor of a bar and they called me to get him. His temperature is very bad and it looks like he has a bad fever.

I'm not sure about telling Marina this.

She might get very upset." Robert explained softly as he heard Nathniel moaning and speaking in gibberish.

Giselle was a little frightened by that but Robert reassured her he was like that because he was ill. Morgan wondered what was wrong as she saw her Uncle Nathaniel lying on the couch with a blanket over his sleeping body.

"He's not very well Morgan." Robert said to her as they had dinner. He hoped his friend would be okay only he felt a little guilty because he thought this was happening because of the talk they'd had last night.

He hoped he was wrong.

"_Maybe he just got the flu and it's hard for him to take since he's never had it before._

_I hope Marina doesn't find out." _he thought as they ate.

Marina was with Kat in the city shopping and having a good time but the girl seemed sad, like something was wrong back in her uncle's apartment. She also remembered what her Uncle Robert had told her eariler as she sipped a Frappucino.

"Is something the matter Marina?" Kat asked her softly.

"No I'm..... fine." Marina answered faking a smile. But Kat had a feeling she was lying as an image of Nathaniel lying on the couch in her uncle's apartment flashed through Marina's mind.

"_No..... he can't be like in the dream." _Marina thought hiding the tears that the vision had created inside her.

Kat wondered what was wrong as they walked through the streets of New York but she wouldn't say as they came to the apartment complex where Robert and Giselle's apartment was.

"See you tomorrow Marina!

I had fun!" Kat called as she left. Marina nodded watching her leave and opened the door.

She ran up the stairs until she came to the floor where her Uncle Robert's apartment was on and her heart pounded faster as she prepared to open the door but calmed herself as she opened the door and went inside quietly, her purchases in her back pack.

She came into the room where the table was but didn't find her father lying on the couch like in her vision.

Tears fell from her eyes as she sank to her knees on the carpeted floor.

She then felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey sweetie." she heard somebody say as she turned around and saw Giselle beside her.

"Where's..... my father?

I saw a vision of him lying on the couch sick and out of it but now he's gone!" the teen said sobbing as tears fell down her face.

"Please don't worry honey. Yes Nathaniel is very sick but he.... got worse so they had to take him to the emergency room.

I'm sure he'll be okay Marina sweetie." Giselle reassured the teen but backed away as the teen's eyes glowed with magic.

She knew Marina was very upset right now but she had to calm down before she destroyed the apartment.

"I-I'm sorry Aunt Giselle.

I'm so worried about my father and having to control my magic. I am only thirteen and all this weird stuff is happening." Marina told her as the magic faded from her eyes as she calmed down.

Nerissa cackled as she watched that. She realised her daughter's magic was stronger when she was angry. But she knew it would be hard getting Marina onto her side.

She smiled getting an idea.

Magic surrounded her as she changed into a thirteen year old girl so she could get Marina to trust her. Giselle saw Marina asleep on the couch. She felt sorry for her because of what had happened to Nathaniel. She wished there was something she could do.

Nerissa cackled as she saw Marina the next day at her high school.

"This is perfect.

I can entice her here." Nerissa thought as she watched some popular girls make fun of Marina.

"Why bother coming here freak? We heard about your father being in the hospital.

What did you do to him, scare him to death?" they sneered.

"It wasn't because of me.

He wasn't feeling well!" Marina yelled as magic emitted from her hands sending the girls flying.

"You're such a freak Marina.

No wonder you have no friends." the popular girl told her as she got to her feet and ran to class.

Marina sank to her knees as the tears fell.

"_I'm sorry Uncle Robert I know I'm not supposed to use my powers in front of people but they made me...... so angry." _the young girl replied as she walked to class....

Robert sighed as he went to work. Things were messed up right now. He hoped Nathaniel would pull through or he wouldn't know how Marina would cope without him in her life but later he heard his cell phone go off while talking to Sam.

"Oh no, this isn't good!" he said worriedly....


	7. Slipped Away From Her Life

**Once Upon A Lonely Heart**

**_A/N This chapter might get a little angsty. I figured that this happening would make Marina want to confront her mother Nerissa. I hope people like it though._**

Marina sighed as the rain fell later that day as she was in school. For some reason she felt sad but didn't know why but it was to do with her father. Nerissa cackled as she approached her in the hall way but the girl ignored her. She then saw she had a missed call.

It was from her Uncle Robert.

"_Marina I have some bad news.... about your father._

_We'll talk more when you get home." _the voice mail said which made the girl worry. Kat wondered what was wrong as they were in the canteen.

"_What happened to him?_

_No.... it can't have happened, could it?_

_I-I can't think like that." _Marina mused, lost in thoughts when a stare from her friend awoke her.

"Are you sure you okay?

You've been acting a bit strange today." Kat asked her.

"It's nothing Kat.

I'm sure he's okay, I.... hope." Marina answered looking away.

"You're thinking about your father, aren't you?" Kat said, her expression softening.

Marina nodded in reply.

"Yes.

I got a call from my Uncle Robert that something bad and I'm afraid..... that he's gone." she told her.

Kat saw deep sadness in Marina's eyes as she said that.

The bell rang for the next class......

Robert was anxious as he checked the time on the clock as he was getting ready to leave work. He was dreading telling Marina that news that somebody she cared about, who had been her only family since she was born..... had passed away. He felt tears but held them in. Right now he had to be strong for Marina's sake.

"_I hope she can handle it when we do tell her later when she comes home from school."_ he thought as he left the office.

Marina's ominous feelings grew as she reached the apartment and went inside. For some odd reason her Aunt Giselle was home early and was baking.

But she held sadness in her eyes as Robert came home.

Morgan was at a friend's house.

"Marina...... your father, he well..... passed away.

The illness was something no doctor had ever seen before and didn't know how to cure him.

I'm sorry." he told her.

Marina said nothing as she went into the spare room where she slept and jumped onto the bed weeping great tears.

Now she knew what the feelings meant.

What would she do now her father had gone but then she heard somebody cackling in her mind.

Anger flowed through her as her magic bubbled within her, growing stronger.

Nerissa smiled as she appeared to her.

"You!

W-Why did y-you do this?

Why?" she asked bubbling with anger and magic as she transformed into a teenage dragon.

Nerissa was happy but scared.

"_How did she get so powerful all of a sudden?_

_Why does she care about Nathaniel?_

_Even if he was her adoptive father, he was a nobody, putty in my hands to do with as I will!"_ she thought as Marina slashed at her with her talons, hurting her.

Robert was astounded along with Giselle to see that.

"M-Marina?

It's okay, it'll be okay." Robert said softly as Nerissa vanished.

Marina then began to transform back into a human teenager but was sobbing greatly.

"S-She did this to me, she attacked my father by making him ill!" she yelled as she calmed down.

Nerissa growled as she watched Marina sleep sadly later on but Giselle saw sadness in Robert's eyes after he was done talking on the phone to somebody.

"Robert.... what's wrong?

Why do you look so unhappy?" she asked softly.

"Child Services.

They want to take Marina into foster care." he replied sadly.

Kat wondered why Marina wasn't at school the next day but found her in a book store reading the latest fantasy novel but she saw sadness in her friend's eyes. She decided not to ask what was wrong.

But Robert was sad as he watched Marina pack up some of her stuff and had a plush dragon in her arms that Nathaniel had given her when she'd first arrived in his life and she'd kept it with her and was her sometimes only friend.

He watched as the car came to take Marina away forever from him and Giselle.

"Don't worry Uncle Robert I'll be able to find you through my magic." Marina said as she left.....


End file.
